


For Want of a Knish

by Wonderlandleighleigh



Series: Just This Once, Everybody Lives [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: AU, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, F/M, Gen, If I say Bucky is Jewish then he's Jewish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 11:45:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19109008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wonderlandleighleigh/pseuds/Wonderlandleighleigh
Summary: Bucky visits Brooklyn from Wakanda.





	For Want of a Knish

If Steve closes his eyes, he can almost imagine that it’s 1928. He’s ten, and he’s just spent the day trailing his best friend through the city, doing odd jobs for a few extra nickels to go to the movies, or, if they’re feeling really spendy, hit the ferry to Coney Island. 

In a few minutes, his mother’s voice will echo down the street, calling them in to get washed up for dinner. They’ll sleep on the living room floor together, and in the morning, sneak out early and surprise his Ma with fresh coffee and a little cake. 

It’s not 1928 though.

It’s 2023, and it’s late and warm, and from their positions lying in the garden, they can almost see the stars through the light pollution of the city. Maggie is sleeping on Steve’s chest, her messy, wispy curls under his chin. 

Bucky’s been back in town for only a few hours, visiting from Wakanda, and for maybe the first time since the war, it’s like they’ve never been apart. 

“If I close my eyes and breathe real deep,” Bucky says. “I can almost smell the knish that my mother used to make on Saturday afternoon.” 

Steve groans and laugh. “Buck.” 

“You want ‘em now, right?” 

“So bad. Jesus.” 

“Too bad my Ma has been dead for 80 years,” Bucky snorts. 

“There’s gotta be another old, ballsy Jewish woman around here willing to make us some knish,” Steve jokes. 

Bucky laughs a little. “‘Excuse me, ma’am. But we’re two very old men who miss our mothers’ cooking. Do you think you could make us some knish? We’ll pay you in war stories and home repair.’” 

“Don’t you grow potatoes in Wakanda?” Steve asks. “We could at least provide ingredients.” 

“I didn’t exactly bring a sack on the plane, Steve.” 

“Nuts.” 

Bucky shakes his head and glances at his best friend. “I can’t believe you’re a dad now.” 

Steve grins fondly and strokes Maggie’s here. “She’s the best. She’s funny and she’s sweet and she makes me so crazy and nervous sometimes I feel like my asthma is gonna come back.” 

“Where the hell did she even come from?” Bucky asks, sitting up and looking down at Maggie. “Y’know she looks like you.” 

“Lotsa people are blonde and blue-eyed, Buck.” 

“Yeah, but she’s got that...glint that you get, in your eyes,” Bucky says. “When you’re gonna do something so dumb it makes me wanna kill you.” 

“I dunno,” Steve admits. “I was keepin’ after a lotta kids during the Snap. Somebody just lefter her on my doorstep. After we fixed everything, nobody came to claim her.” 

“That doesn’t seem weird?” 

“No weirder than anything else that happened during the past five years,” Steve says. He glances up at Bucky, frowning. “You never told me about you and Natasha.” 

Bucky’s eyes get distant as he stares into the shadows of the garden around them. “I didn’t remember right away. Not until Shuri fixed me up, and...I don’t know. I figured if she wanted you to know about us, she’d tell you.” 

Steve nods, but sighs. “You love her.” 

“Desperately,” Bucky admits. “Pathetically. She’s amazing. And...and you brought her back. So I uh...I guess I owe you for that.” 

“I will collect in babysitting duty,” Steve grins a little. “Preferably when Zondra’s in town.” 

“How’s that going?” Bucky asks, looking amused. “You haven’t been serious about anybody since Peg.” 

“No, I haven’t,” Steve agrees. “But it’s good. She’s an incredible woman. She can probably kill me.” 

“Shocked,” Bucky laughs. “I’m so shocked that you would pick yet another woman who can hand you your ass on your own damn shield.” 

Steve chuckles and shakes his head. “I think I love her.” 

“I know you love her,” Bucky tells him. “You wouldn’t be sleeping with her if you didn’t.” 

Steve turns a funny shade of red and looks back up at the sky. “Maybe you and me and Natasha and Zondra could go out sometime. A double date. Like we used to, except this time one of the girls will actually notice my existence.” 

Bucky chuckles and lays back down. “Sure, pal.” He turns his head and glances at Maggie’s face, pressed against Steve’s shirt as she sleeps. “She’s really somethin’ else.” 

“I’m glad you think so, you and Natasha are her godparents,” Steve grins. 

“Ugh,” Bucky complain. “Seriously? You want me to be some sort of spiritual whatever for her? Your mother told me I was going to hell like...once a week when we were kids.” 

Steve rolls his eyes. “Just look out for her when I can’t, ya jerk.”

“That I can manage.” 

They lay in silence for a long while, surrounded by the sounds of bugs and cars and Maggie’s sleepy breathing. 

“Thanks for comin’, Buck.” 

“Eh. I wasn’t busy.”


End file.
